Tuesday, March 1, 2016

For the Love of Words

Keli Gwyn here to talk about words...

I love words. I have a hunch you do, too. Whether writing them or reading them, they can bring us such delight.
I'm
often asked if the heroines of my stories and I have anything in
common. Becky Martin, the heroine of my March Love
Inspired Historical, A Home of Her Own, and I both love words.

One of Becky's most prized possessions is her late mother's dictionary. Since
Becky wasn't able to attend high school, she struggles with feelings of
inadequacy. She reads the dilapidated dictionary regularly, memorizing
new words and proudly incorporating them into her speech in order to sound more intelligent.

As I researched the story, I longed to see what Becky's dictionary would have looked like, what words it would have included. Imagine my delight when I found this facsimile copy online for a mere three dollars. I snapped it up.

I love reading the entries in this historic dictionary. They were so succinct. Since all type was handset back then, that makes sense.

I enjoy seeing the old text. Note the way the letter S was written more like a lower case F.

I chose to photograph this particular page in the dictionary because I'm excited about the release of A Home of Her Own. I love knowing that readers will soon be reading the words I labored over. It's my hope they will enjoy the experience.

* * *

Do you have a love affair with words?

* * *

A Blossoming Love

Becky Martin knows that she can’t stay at James O’Brien’s apple farm
forever, but she wishes she could. After her brother framed her for
arson, she flees Chicago, traveling cross-country to California and
finding work caring for James’s ailing mother. Beneath the apple
blossoms, it’s almost as if she has a real family…but her secret won’t
stay buried forever.

James, scarred from an explosion, didn’t
expect to connect to the pretty young traveler. Could she really love
someone damaged like him? He knows she’s hiding something. If only she’d
trust him. Can she let go of her past and believe in the possibility of
a future amid the apple trees?

Hi Kelly, Words are very fascinating to me especially since helping my son study a spelling bee he was in not to long ago. There were words I had never heard of before. Walking around The Henry Clay Estate in Ky I noticed that to about how the s back then looked like an f. Your book looks and sounds great! Jenny

Jenny, how fun to have your son participate in a spelling bee. I've seen a couple of movies about them, and I remember being amazed at some of the words the young people were asked to spell. They would certainly stump me.

Thanks for your kind words about my book. I'm thrilled with the cover. The Love Inspired art department does great work.